"American collapse is a catastrophe of human possibility without modern parallel. ... The uniqueness of these social pathologies tell us that American collapse is not like a reversion to any mean, or the downswing of a trend. It is something outside the norm. ... We need a whole new language — and a new way of seeing — to even begin to make sense of it."

Last edited by Little John on Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:08 pm; edited 1 time in total

LJ, help this thicko by linking that video to your quote, please. Maybe it's just too deep for me. _________________I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker

Having read the article it would seem that the Good Samaritan is in hiding in the USA if he's there at all. The article is a pretty damning indictment of a nation which professes so strongly to be Christian. And it is the self proclaimed Christian Right Republicans who seem to be leading the charge away from what they see as "socialist" public aid for the sick and downtrodden. I nearly said retreat but that doesn't describe the trajectory well enough._________________Action is the antidote to despair - Joan Baez

"American collapse is a catastrophe of human possibility without modern parallel. ... The uniqueness of these social pathologies tell us that American collapse is not like a reversion to any mean, or the downswing of a trend. It is something outside the norm. ... We need a whole new language — and a new way of seeing — to even begin to make sense of it."

...a pretty damning indictment of a nation which professes so strongly to be Christian. And it is the self proclaimed Christian Right Republicans who seem to be leading the charge away from what they see as "socialist" public aid for the sick and downtrodden...

It's neatly explained in Democracy in Chains.

Basically, the monied right have to appear to be Christian to capture that segment of the vote. It's mostly a sham.

It was realised very early in the capitalist fight against democracy that having the 'godfearing' vote - who tend to be the poor - was vital for sheer numbers._________________I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker

Doesn't say much for the integrity of many US politicians but then I didn't think that many of them had much integrity any way given the amount of money they take in bribes. Sorry, campaign contributions!!

I the UK it's slightly different in that it's the political parties which get bribed rather than the individual politicians._________________Action is the antidote to despair - Joan Baez

Having read the article it would seem that the Good Samaritan is in hiding in the USA if he's there at all. The article is a pretty damning indictment of a nation which professes so strongly to be Christian. And it is the self proclaimed Christian Right Republicans who seem to be leading the charge away from what they see as "socialist" public aid for the sick and downtrodden. I nearly said retreat but that doesn't describe the trajectory well enough.

Henry VIII professed to be strongly Christian yet he was was probably the biggest tyrant in English history. The USA may be mild by comparison._________________To become an extremist, hang around with people you agree with. Cass Sunstein